Odometer reset mechanism



n I L ODOMETER RESET MEGHANZSF Filed Feb;

Patented Sept. i0, 192,9.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE 1?,1 DINSMORE, 0F FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO A C SPARK PLUG' COM- PAN'Y, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN, A COIMPANYA 0F MICHIGAN.

ODOMETER RESET MECHANISM.

` Application tiled February'l, 1928. Serial No. 251,085. i

My .invention relates to odometers and more particularly to the reset mechanism of odometers.

It has for an object the provision of an odometer wherein the spring member which serves to normally hold the clutch member in driving engagement with one of the figure Wheels, will be so associated with the clutch member and the gear which drives the latter, 1o that there will be no tendency of' any rotating part being pressed against a non-rotating part by this spring, thereby increasing friction and requiring more power to drive the odometer mechanism. A Otherobjects and advantages will be apparent upon referring to the specification and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a` Afragmentary view of an odometer, showing the parts in a position whereby'the bdometer ymay be reset. Figure `2 isa fragmentary view'corresponding to Figure 1 but showing` the partsin driving or normal position.

.Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-4-3 of Figure 1. y

Figure 4 is a view showing my improvedv resetting and driving mechanism in perspective.

The numeral 10 indicates the trame of an y odometer',lfrom whichl is rotatably supported an odometer driving gear in the usual manner driving mechanism. yNon-rotatably supported in the Jframe is a shaft'14 on which is journalled the driven gear 16. A washer or spacer 17 may be inserted between. the s gear 16 and the frame 10, or a tiange may be formed on the geary 16 for this purpose. This gear carries a substantially semi-circu lar extension 18 which extends not quite' 180 around the shaft 14. An abutment 2O tormed on the end oi this extension extends a little more than 180 around the shaft. A clutch member 22 is also rotatably supported on one end, which teeth are adapted to tit into internal teeth 26 in a figure wheel 28. This clutch member is provided with a conical shaped portion 30 and an extension 32 and abutment 34 which correspond shape 12 which is driven, t from the instrument the shaft and has teeth 24 at with the extension ,18 and abutment 20. A

compression spring 36' is mounted around the two extensions and bears at one en'd against the gear 16 and at the other against the clutch member `22. It will be seen that this spring will serve to normally holdl the teeth 24 in engagement with the teeth 26. When it is desired to reset the figure wheels, a reset stem 38 is pressed inwardly and a tapered end'portion40-engages the conical shaped portion 3Q and moves the clutch member to the right until the teeth 24 are out of engagement with the teeth 26. A gear `42 secured on the reset stem then meshes with a gear 44 carried on the ligure wheel 28, and by turning the reset stem the figure wheel:` may be reset to any desired mileage in ti e usual manner.

The function of the abutments 20 and 34 is to limit the axial movement of the clutch member 22 and the gear 16 with respect to each other, so that there will be no possibility of the gear 16 being forced against the frame 10 by the action Vof the spring. Ubviously this would cause friction and would require more l ower to drive the odom- ^ter mechanism. ince the usual odometer is a rather p delicate instrument, iti is very desirable to reduce friction to a minimum, to insure a longer life for the instrumento Jlln the ordinary reset mechanism-where a springtis employed` to-'normally hold the clutch member in. driving engagement with the figure wheels, this spring usually forces some rotating `part against a non-rotating part. ln my construction, however, it will `be seen that the pressure of thespring 1s taken care of entirely by they 'manner in which the gear 16 is connected to the clutch lmember 22, independently of any other parts. When the 'figure wheels are being rotated `by the gear 16, the clutch member, the spring and the gear 16 are rotating as a unit, and are not depending upon any outside means to limit their relative axial movement. lt will bere'adily seen that this is a much more desirable construction than the usual one. f

lt is thought trom the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, that the construction and operation of' the device will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that various changes in size, shape, and proportion and details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In an odometer having a figure wheel,I a driving gear, a driven gear, a clutch member adapted to be moved axially with `respect to said driven gear, resihent means between said driven gear and said clutch member serving to urge the latter :into driving engagement with said figure wheel,' and means associated with said driven gear and said clutch member whereby there will be no pressure exerted by said resilient means between said driven ear and any non-ro tating part when saifI clutch member is in driving engagement with said figure wheel.

2. In an odometer having a figure wheel, a driving gear, a driven gear, a clutch member adapted to be moved axially with respect to said driven gear, resilient means between said driven gear and said clutch member serving to urge the latter into driving engagement with said figure wheel, and means associated with said driven gear and said clutch member to limitthe axial movement of one with respect to the other.

3. In an vodometer having a gure wheel, a driving gear, a driven gear, a clutch member adapted to be moved axially with re spect to said driven gear, resilient means between said driven gear and said clutch member serving to urge the latter into driving engagement with said figure Wheel, and abutments on said driven gear and said clutch member arranged in such manner as to take the pressure oi. said resilient means when the clutch member is in driving engagement with said figure wheel.

4 Odometer mechanism comprising` a igure wheel, a drivin gear, a driven gear having a substantial y semi-circular extension provided with an abutment, a clutch member having a substantially semi-circular extension provided with an abutment, said extensions cooperating so that said clutchl member will be rotated by said driven gear, a spring surrounding said extensions and serving to urge said clutch member normallyT into engagement with said figurewheel, said abutments cooperating with each other to limit the movement of said clutch member away from said driven gear.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

.CLARENCE B. DIL SMORE. 

